


Fire and Honey

by earndarby



Category: Uprooted - Naomi Novik
Genre: And neither does Agnieszka, F/M, I have no idea what I’m doing this, Idiots in Love, writing is hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-13
Updated: 2018-08-13
Packaged: 2019-06-26 03:04:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15654444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/earndarby/pseuds/earndarby
Summary: Agnieszka decides to make candied nuts spelled to ease Sarkan’s bad moods. The charm doesn’t work the way she intends but still smiles for her anyway





	Fire and Honey

“It’s far more propitious to travel together to the capital.” Agnieszka heard him say as he approached. She was laying on the soft grass with her eyes closed, allowing the sun to warm her face.

 

“Is it?” She answered with amusement in her voice, sneaking a peak to look at him.

 

“Of course it is! ” he answered irritated

 

“Provisions won’t have to be divided for 2 separate week long journeys to the capital, utilizing less overall in the process”

 

“For Provisions?” She answered more to herself than to Sarkan

“If you want me to travel with you to Kralia than just ask me” she laughed while closing eyes.

 

He nearly huffed indignation. “I don’t _want_ to travel with you, I just said it would be beneficial”

 

“Beneficial or not, I’m going later on as planned. The king didn’t summon me anyway and I’m only attending because Kasia wants me too. I miss her”

 

“FINE! I’ll leave by myself tomorrow morning as I...”

“And I will leave in a fortnight as I had originally planned” she said cutting him off.

 

He turned and left her there without another word. She didn’t say anything nor move to follow. He probably used his jumping spell back to the tower by then anyway. 

 

Agnieszka hadn’t seen the dragon in such a foul mood since .... well, since the last time he was summoned to the capital or when he last encountered Solya or when she accidentally spelled them out of time.

But he seems even more irritable than usual and he’s normally contentious to begin with anyway.

 

Perhaps I can do something to brighten his spirits while in Kralia this time She thought.

 

Agnieszka knew that ever since Sarkan left the capital over a century ago with his heart broken and any fervor left in him crushed by the countess, he dreaded going to the capital and dealing with the court. He would avoid it at all costs if possible, as would she in all honesty but this time he seemed more apprehensive than usual. Even hostile to the idea of going.

 

At that moment Agnieszka made up her mind to have Sarkan enjoy the capital one way or another! After all, they were going to celebrate the Stashek’s wedding. What could possibly go wrong!

 

She jumped to her feet and rushed toward her cottage a few meters away. Digging through her few scattered books she came upon what she was looking for.

 

To alleviate headaches and to greatly improve one’s disposition .... hmmm thought Agnieszka. This might work. Although the dragon could feel her magic coming from over the western mountain pass. Looking around she saw a small pile of nuts she collected a few days earlier and decided on a plan.

**************

“It’s nearly time for dinner, the least you could have done was bring some food up” he answered as she entered his library.

Sarkan was sitting at a table near the window with a stack of books, looking splendid as always in a deep red wine waist coat, black slacks and tall shiny leather boots with gold embroidery all over.

“Stop looking at me like some sort of cretin” though as he said it he eyes grew dark and he glanced quickly up and down her frame taking any sting out of he words.

Agnieszka got accustomed to wearing linen and gauzy fabrics in the summertime. Allowing her easy movements in dresses and skirts but unbeknownst to her it left little to the imagination.

“Have you come to your senses and realized I was correct in assessing the advantages of traveling together?”

 

“No” she said slow and deliberate as her glided in his direction.

“I brought you some candied nuts I made for your journey”

 

“Were these nuts collected from the Wood!?!” Do you imagine I would eat such a thing”

 

“Sarkan” Agnieszka said thoughtfully. “I just wanted us to part in peace. Must we argue each time before we part ways?”

 

“You choose to argue every time” he said. Just then Agnieszka, standing in front of him leaned down and kissed him slowly. He returned the kiss and she relaxed, moving to sit on his lap.

With her arms around still around his neck she pulled back from the kiss and handed him the jar.

He huffed and took it from her hands eyeing the nuts with distrust. Opening the jar, Sarkan leaned into it and smelled it apprehensively.

 

Agnieszka laughed and answered “really!?! Even Solya would accept a gift from me more graciously than that” she dipped her fingers into the jar, grabbed a few nuts and stuffed them into her mouth. They tasted sweet, savory with a mix of spices and absolutely delightful.

 

Only then did sarkan willingly take out 2 nuts and gingerly eat them. He thanked her as he closed the lid and Agnieszka lifted herself off him.

“I’m going downstairs to make some thing to eat” without waiting to hear his response she bounced into the hall and down the stairs.

 

While in the kitchen she wondered if the charmed nuts would work immediately or not. If he would feel the change in his demeanor. She hoped the spell would help him feel a little less stressed in the capital. She was feeling a little lighter herself and couldn’t help smiling at the thought of him.

 

Agnieszka tried to remember the last time she had seen the dragon smile or if he ever did! There were a couple of times during their most intimate moments and sharing magic but even then she couldn’t recall exactly. Not that she wanted to change him, just allow him enjoy Kralia better this time around. Have him be just a touch less prickly, for his sake as much as everyone else’s as well.

She was in deep thought when she heard him over her right shoulder asking “I thought you were preparing dinner”

Jumping out of her skin she answered “why are you sneaking up on me!?!”

 

“I’m not!”

“It’s not my fault you are being too doltish to hear me”

 

Guess the magic didn’t work yet she thought to herself.

Just then she noticed he removed his waist coat and was only wearing the shirt from underneath untucked from his breeches. That was odd, she thought immediately. Also, in his hand were a few more candied nuts. He never snacks around the tower! He never eats unless it’s in the library or kitchen.

“I see you are enjoying the gift, though I meant for you to have it while on the road” 

“Not really, actually. They taste too sweet” he frowned as he put another in his mouth. 

Confused she asked, “then why eat them?” 

He motioned with an exaggerated shrug. Turned his back and started for the stairs called back saying “I think I will travel with you instead. No urgency for me to be at the capital at any rate. I can easy enough finish any business after the festivities or not. Doesn’t matter.” 

Agnieszka looked at him in surprise. No urgency? What? He, with his dire warnings and worst case scenario outlook on everything! 

“Okay” She could hardly get the word out.  
He nodded and made his way back up the stairs most likely to the library. 

After another hour she had made a rabbit stew, fried bread with a side of fresh green beans. She brought it up to the library for them to enjoy but when she looked around he wasn’t in there, instead the place was a complete mess! With more books stacked on the floor and scattered all over tables than there were on shelves.

What has he gotten himself into!? she thought as she organized a stack of papers from the floor. It looked almost as bad as well they battled Marek. Except the wall we’re still intact.  
Just then a loud crashing sound came from the direction of the laboratory. Fearing the worst she ran into the lab to find it filled with smoke.  
“SARKAN!” Agnieszka shouted unable to keep the fright from her voice!

But again he was no where to be found. Running to the window, she opened the shutters to allow air through. 

Hearing heavy sounds above her, she raced up to the next landing where the bedrooms, searching through the guest rooms found them to be empty. Then walking towards his room she counted her steps and walked into the direction his door. Searching the handle she opened it and found it also empty but a fire blazing far too high on the hearth. Putting the fire out she searched for him on each floor and each room. Everywhere she looked was disarray almost as if she was the one running around causing the chaos. But instead it was he causing it and she was literally putting out the fires. 

She was getting completely frustrated with him and all these little chaotic disasters he was leaving behind. It looked as if he was experimenting and breaking off workings in the middle then leaving them behind as she had once a long time ago.

Agnieszka searched the entire tower while cleaning up the mess left behind in each room. She finally check the top of the tower where her old room once stood only to see it empty still. Those enchanted nuts effectively turned the meticulous, studious and diligent Dragon into another Agnieszka!! And he could be anywhere doing anything right now. The most powerful wizard in the land. Agnieszka shuddered at the thought. Now nighttime with no Sarkan in the villages and no where to be found. Agnieszka finally went back to her cottage hoping to see him there. Utterly spent, exhausted and frightened at what effect the spell had on him, there he laid on her bed fast asleep holding the last of the nuts. She sat on the bed. But before she knew it her exhaustion set in and she fell asleep. 

******************  
She woke up with the sun just barely over the horizon to find him standing in the doorway looking at her with rage in his eyes

“You insolent, idiotic, precarious, ludicrous woman!! You have undoubtedly lost your mind to think you can try to cast a spell ...” but before he could even finish his sentence Agnieszka charged at him jumping into his arms and hugged him. Her eyes filled with tears as she kissed his cheeks and lips. Both terror and relief written across her face.  
“Sarkan! I was so worried” barely able to finish as she choked up the tears finally spilling down her face. He carefully wiped the single tear across her cheek evidently relieved to find him in one piece.  
“You are a lunatic!” 

“I just .... I just didn’t want you going to the capital being so miserable the entire time. I wanted the king, Kasia and even Solya to see you beyond the prickly, angry, eccentric wizard in the tower. To see you as I see you” she answered with a slight hitch in her voice from the crying.

She was never afraid to show the world exactly how she felt he thought. Never cared what anyone thought of her, never even cared if she ever left the valley again. But she cared deeply for him.  
A contradiction of brilliant and negligent, beautiful and unkempt and fearless yet frightened. She drove him completely insane yet he couldn’t be without her.  
“Neishka” he signed tasting both honey and pine from her name. Another contradiction he thought as the smallest fraction of a smile came to his face. Really more of a smirk. 

“Sarkan!” “Is that .... Are you smiling?” she said in awe. He looked so different with the sharp angles of his handsome face softened by the expression.  
“Perhaps but you better not get used to it” he said immediately turning it into a frown. 

”I love you too, my dear Dragon” she whispered against his lips. 

Before he could react, she kissed him and dragged him into the bed. He couldn’t help smiling at her again then said, as she climbed on top of him “Neishka, I will never eat anything you ever gift me again”

**Author's Note:**

> I am not a writer, just a reader that loves Uprooted! This is my first fanfic ever written, for the Uprooted ficathon so please excuse if the characters seem OOC.  
> It’s truly difficult to convey exactly what I envision into writing, especially considering I had so many ideas jumbled together that I just decided to simplify it to this simple story!  
> This is supposed to take place about 8(ish) years after the events of the novel. Sarkan still has his tower and Agnieszka still has her cottage in the wood but they are together more often than not. Sarkan is still a fool for her, now and always.
> 
> I appreciate all you amazing writers so much more because it wasn’t easy at all. Sorry for all my ramblings but I hope you enjoyed this story and thank you for taking the time to read it <3


End file.
